Her Hometown Hero(21)

"Are you getting ready to perform surgery on the tree?" he asked, then fished out a doughnut and took a bite.

She turned and looked at him. "What?"

"You seem quite focused on ornament placement," he said after he swallowed.

"I like the tree to be decorated according to fixed aesthetic  principles," she said defensively. She turned her back to him again and  slid the ornament onto the perfect branch.

"What if the tree's branches aren't evenly spaced?"

"I always get a beautiful tree."

"Oh, you must be a lot of fun to Christmas tree shop with."

Sage turned and glared at him before walking back to her table and  selecting another ornament. "I happen to think I'm an asset when  shopping for a tree. I can gauge the area it will take up, and it won't  look too big or too small in its appointed place. I also know which ones  will last for the season, and which ones are close to dying."

Spence laughed out loud at her earnestness. He'd never met someone who  had a formula for Christmas tree shopping. She was a real treat. He sat  back and enjoyed the show when she bent down to pick up a fallen bulb.  "Then it's a good thing I haven't bought my tree yet. I appreciate your  offering to help."                       
       
           



       

"I made no such offer." Sage didn't bother to look at him this time.

"Yes, you did. Didn't you hear her offer, Grace?"

Grace gave a gigantic smile and put down her pastry. "It sounded like an offer to me."

"Traitor," Sage mumbled beneath her breath, and sent Grace a stern look.

"I'd love to hang around the both of you and watch the bickering  continue, but I have to get dressed and head in to work," Grace said,  practically skipping by as she went down the hallway.

"I think you chased her away-and just when all the fun was beginning,"  Spence said, picking up an ornament and approaching the tree.

Sage didn't tell him he had to unhand the delicate glass elf in his  hand; she just stood there watching, waiting. He suspected that this was  some sort of test, and he felt the pressure to get it right. Damn.  Since when did getting a girl to go out with him depend on his expertise  at hanging ornaments?

Since now, apparently.

He placed the little elf in a bare spot and found himself holding his  breath as he waited for the verdict. He turned around to pick up his  coffee, then turned back to find that the ornament had moved a few  inches.

Well, he'd come close. Victory!

He suddenly started laughing. "Let me help you finish up the tree, Sage." And he knew exactly what she was about to say.

"That's all right. I'm going to finish later."

"Come on, I'm really good at it-I'm good at just about everything," he said, waggling his brows at her.

"Obviously not," she muttered as she pivoted back to her tree, studying it the way she would a patient.

"I was thrown for a loop last week and not up to my best performance  level, but I've had plenty of time to think, and I have ways of making  it up to you. Now, I'm going to apologize in advance for any violations  against you."

Before she could speak, Spence turned her toward him and drew her into  his arms in one swift movement, savoring for a brief moment the feel of  her feminine body pressed against his with the negligible barrier of her  pajamas and his sweater.

When he saw the whisper of desire flit across her eyes, he knew she  wanted him, knew it wouldn't be long until he had his chance to make up  to her for his shock at finding she was a virgin. What surprised him was  the warming in his gut, the extra beat to his heart.

"Sage Banks, you have gotten under my skin and you aren't letting me  go," he whispered before his lips brushed across hers in the barest of  touches.

"I'm not doing anything," she said, her voice husky, the sound rumbling through him.

"Ah, you do plenty. I love the concentration on your face when you're  focused, the way your lips so easily turn up to comfort a patient, how  eager you are to learn new things, and how willing you are to help  others. And I love the way you taste," he said, brushing his lips across  hers again, hunger ripping through him. No longer denying the kiss he  really wanted, he brought their lips together, throwing away rational  thought and restraint.

After sliding his fingers through the glorious tangle of her fire-red  hair, he held her head tight, angling it so he could deepen the kiss and  take full advantage of the gasp she was releasing into his mouth.

She tasted of sweet coffee and a hint of mint toothpaste, making him  think of long summer days and cool spring-fed creeks, and the two of  them bare in the sun. He could be content doing nothing but lazing all  day and night with this woman in his arms.

She was his-for this moment, she was all his, and he could take her to  the highest reaches of heaven. Her seductive groan let him know she had  no thoughts of fighting him, so his hand moved down her back, landing on  the soft curve of her sweet derrière as he pulled her tightly against  him.

Just as he was beginning to reach the point of no return, she stiffened  and pushed against him. He knew he could still seduce her, knew he could  lift her into his arms and ravish her. But he also knew she'd hate him  if he went too fast again.

"Stop."

It was barely a whisper, panted from her moist lips as he eased back. It was all he needed to hear.

"I want you in my bed, Sage. I want you naked beneath me, crying out in  pleasure. I want you so much I dream about you and wake up hungry and  unsatisfied. I can feel how much you want me, too. Don't keep fighting  me. We can be great together." He knew he should leave something to  mystery, but, damn, he was aching.

She pushed against him. "No. You proved to me that I'm nothing. I don't want you anymore."

He set her free despite the infernal throbbing below his waist.                       
       
           



       

"I was in shock that you hadn't had sex before. I'm sorry I left things  the way I did. But, here's the reality. We're both single. We're both  adults. There's nothing wrong with taking care of basic human needs."  Hmm. Did he need a little work on his bedroom talk? Maybe.

"I'm not looking to get involved with anyone, Spence, especially you.  I'm a resident, and you know the kind of hours that means. Plus, you're  my boss. I am so not going to be a cliché and sleep with the boss. That  night was a mistake and I'm glad you realized it, since I clearly wasn't  thinking. I think the lack of available women in our small town has you  looking for anything near your age. We need to quit this game."

"I may be a doctor, too, Sage, but some things happening in the body  can't be explained away so easily. I want you, you want me. There's no  reason for us not to be together."

Spence should just leave this alone, should accept her rejection and  leave. It's what he normally would have done. If a girl didn't show  interest, then why waste his time? But since he couldn't stop thinking  about this woman, he knew that he had to see where this could lead.

"You have jet lag. Go home and sleep it off," Sage said, moving over to  the couch and sitting down, pulling her knees up to her chest and  hugging them, looking so sweet and so many years younger than she  actually was.

"Jet lag? Really? It's only an hour-and-a-half flight from Seattle to  Billings, and the time difference is only an hour," he said with a  chuckle. "No circadian rhythms were harmed in the making of this scene."

"Are you mocking me, Spence?"

"No. Enjoying you."

"Well, I don't give you permission to enjoy me," she told him with some heat.

"My dear Sage, you don't get to decide that." He walked over and leaned down, putting his face just inches from hers.

"I get to decide whom I date," she said, emphasizing the m in whom-she  wished to sound her starchiest-and leaning back as far as she could. It  wasn't far enough.

"That's okay. I wouldn't want you to be too easy."

"Did you just call me easy?"

"No, that's one thing that could never be said about you," he said with a  laugh, then couldn't resist brushing his lips across the tip of her  nose. The move seemed to unsettle her. Good. He wanted her unsettled,  wanted to bring a bit of chaos to her ordered life.

"I have to . . ." Dang. She couldn't think of an excuse to make him leave.

He hadn't known what he wanted when he found himself at her door, but  right now he felt like singing in the hills. He'd shaken her up and  learned she was far more susceptible to him than she wanted him to know.  It was enough for now.

He'd let her take a deep breath and rest up, and then the next round  would begin. "Have a great day, Sage." He kissed her briefly, then  walked from the room. He didn't even try to stop the happy whistle that  blew through his lips as he climbed down the front stairs.